
Spindrift 2 Abandons Record Attempt
As we mentioned in Friday’s ‘Lectronic Latitude, Yann Guichard, the French skipper of the Swiss maxi-trimaran Spindrift 2, contacted his technical team ashore to report damage to the structure of the starboard rudder. Spindrift Racing was challenging for the Jules Verne Trophy, a nonstop round-the-world crewed record.

Later, in daylight, the team made a full assessment of the damage and possible repairs. Reluctantly, they concluded that they would be unable to make the necessary repairs without compromising the safety and performance of the 132-ft tri. “Because of this technical problem, we have no choice but to stop this record attempt. It is a huge disappointment to all of the crew. We are now heading to the southeast coast of Australia and expect to reach there in the next four days,” confirmed the 44-year-old Guichard.
“I share the heartbreak of #Spindrift 2’s crew,” tweeted team co-founder Dona Bertarelli, “especially after such a promising start. So proud of them taking on the world’s greatest challenges. Wishing them safe as they sail to Perth and counting the minutes until I see my husband [Yann] and son again.” The crew expect to arrive in Perth on Wednesday morning. Bertarelli’s 21-year-old son, Duncan Späth, is a helmsman and the youngest member of the 12-man crew.
Thanks CG for rescuing those three men on the 20 foot sloop BUT… I am surprised they didnt tow the boat out of the channel. Seems like a pretty bad hazard floating in the dark, probably with little radar reflection. A line through the forward cabin ports rigged into a bridle would have probably have worked as a towing rig or put a strobe on it?